The concept of integrated and participatory watershed management has emerged as the cornerstone of rural development in the dry, semi-arid and other rainfed regions of the world. Most watershed projects in India are implemented with the twin objectives of soil and water conservation and enhancing the livelihoods of the rural poor.

Geological records point out to a period of aridity 10,000 years ago, at the end stage of Pleistocene glaciation, which gradually changed to a wet phase. Copious rainfall in the Himalayan region gave rise to innumerable rivers, mainly Saraswati river along with six other rivers which flowed down in cascades bringing enormous amounts of water in the plains of Punjab, Rajasthan and north Gujarat.

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Availability of groundwater varies spatially and temporally depending upon the terrain. The scarcity of water affects the environmental and developmental activities of an area. Construction of small water harvesting structures across streams/watersheds is gaining momentum in recent years.

The issue of upstreamdownstream water balance is an important one and there is a need to understand the feasibility of water harvesting and groundwater recharge in upstream areas. Kumar et al (EPW, 30 August 2008) highlight this issue, but they overemphasise the negative aspects.